Broadband: 4G Mobile

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have (1) to assess the impact of interference from 4G mobile broadband on digital television services in a limited geographical area, and (2) to apply any lessons from such an assessment to the roll-out of 4G services nationally. [HL1779]

Baroness Verma: Previous experiences of the 3G network rollout in the UK, and 4G rollouts in other countries, show that network operators are unlikely to roll out complete networks before switching them on. They will undertake a phased rollout. It is the role of Mitco, an organisation that has been set up to reduce the interference to mobile networks, to monitor the situation for any evidence of interference to TV reception as it develops, and act if required to do so.

Children: Northern Ireland and England

The Earl of Listowel: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have commissioned into the comparative outcomes for children in Northern Ireland and England. [HL1915]

Lord Hill of Oareford: The department has not commissioned any research comparing the outcomes for children in Northern Ireland and England.

EU: Media

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of whether any other member states of the European Union have systems of statutory press controls and of the effectiveness of those controls. [HL1985]

Baroness Verma: The Government have noted Module 4 of the Leveson inquiry on future press regulation, which has included analysis of systems of press regulation in other parts of Europe and elsewhere. The Government will respond to the Leveson inquiry in due course, once they receive recommendations for future press regulation due in Lord Justice Leveson’s report this autumn.

Higher Education: 16-19 Year-olds

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many 16 year-olds they expect to start the 2012-13 academic year studying in (1) maintained school sixth forms, (2) academy sixth forms, (3) 16-19 free schools, (4) sixth form colleges, and (5) further education colleges. [HL1941]

Lord Hill of Oareford: A projection of the percentage of 16 year-olds participating in the 2012-13 academic year was published in the 16-19 Funding Statement by the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) in December 2011. The Education Funding Agency (EFA) will be updating this projection as part of the work for the next 16-19 Funding Statement.
The table below provides a more detailed breakdown of the age 16 participation rate projection for 2012-13 academic year by route. State-funded school sixth form numbers by school type have not been provided because robust estimates by individual academic age were not available when these projections were produced.



Projected participation in education and work-based learning at academic age 16 by institution type, snapshot at end 2012 calendar year







2012-13







Number


%




Overall participation at academic age 16 in education and work-based learning, of which:


602,979


98.0




State-funded school sixth forms


225,617


36.7




Sixth form colleges


74,398


12.1




General FE, tertiary and specialist colleges


237,443


38.6




Work-based learning


24,072


3.9




Other (incl. independent schools)


41,450


6.7




Population


615,487

Higher Education: 16-19 Year-olds

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what (1) new academy sixth forms, and (2) 16–19 free schools, will open in the 2012–13 academic year; how much funding each will receive; and how many students each expects to enrol. [HL1942]

Lord Hill of Oareford: The tables below list the new academy and free school sixth forms being established in September 2012 for which funding allocations have been finalised.



Table 1: Funding for new academy sixth forms opening September 2012




School


Local Authority 


Funding for Places and 16-19 Bursary Fund


Estimated Student Numbers in First Year


Planned Capacity




UCL Academy


Camden


�655,642


125


250




The Bridge Academy


Hackney


�694,595


125


250




Brampton Manor Academy


Newham


�552,791


100


300




Bethnal Green Technology College


Tower Hamlets


�374,084


67


200




The Quest Academy


Croydon


�164,787


35


215




Oasis Academy


Enfield


�529,069


110


250




Drapers’ Academy


Havering


�307,444


67


200




Twickenham Academy


Richmond upon Thames


�340,620


75


150




Tudor Grange Academy


Solihull


�462,733


110


250




Ormiston Enterprise Academy


Derbyshire


�62,011


15


100




Consett Academy


Durham


�127,037


30


200




Skinners’ Kent Academy


Kent


�82,978


20


250




Bede Academy


Northumberland


�527,400


125


250





Table 2: Funding for new Free School sixth forms opening September 2012




School


Local Authority


Funding for Places and 16-19 Bursary Fund


Estimated Student Numbers in First Year


Planned Capacity




London Academy of Excellence


Newham


�1,276,934


220


420


In addition, there are two academy sixth forms opening in September 2012 for which funding allocations are still being finalised. They are therefore not included in the table above. They are Ash Green School and Torquay Academy. A final list can be provided in due course if desired.
Provision for 16 to 19 year-olds in academies and free schools is funded on the same per-learner basis as that for maintained school sixth forms, sixth-form colleges and general further education colleges using the national funding formula for 16-19 provision. We are introducing a new fairer, simpler and more transparent funding formula for 2013-14 to support the raising of the participation age. The 16-19 Bursary Fund is provided to enable institutions to help young people meet the costs of participating in education and training.

Holocaust

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 13 June (WA 257–8), how many academies no longer include the history of the Holocaust in their curricula; whether all history programmes will include the history of the holocaust as part of a new national curriculum; and whether academies will be obliged to teach about the holocaust regardless of whether they depart from a new national curriculum. [HL1832]

Lord Hill of Oareford: The department does not collect information about whether academies include the history of the Holocaust in their curricula. While publicly funded independent schools (academies) will continue to have the freedom to depart from the new national curriculum, where they consider that to be in the best interests of their students, they are required by law to teach a broad and balanced curriculum. As is the case now, we envisage that many such schools will, in practice, continue to offer the national curriculum, and they will be accountable to parents and their local communities for any decisions they take.

Ofsted

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) complaints, and (2) appeals, against gradings Ofsted have received from (a) further education colleges, and (b) sixth form colleges, in the past two academic years; and how many have been upheld. [HL1788]

Lord Hill of Oareford: This question is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to my noble friend, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, to Baroness Sharp of Guildford, dated June 2012.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NUMBER HL1788: To ask Her Majesty5 Government how many (1) complaints, and (2) appeals, against gradings Ofsted have received from (a) further education colleges, and (b) sixth form colleges, in the past two academic years; and how many have been upheld.
Your recent Parliamentary Question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
The information you have requested is in the tables below, which are divided between stage one and stage two complaints. A stage one complaint investigation includes challenges to judgements (gradings) as well as concerns about inspector conduct, administration, or information. The stage two complaint investigation is Ofsted's equivalent of an appeal against the investigation completed at stage one.
There was one complaint in 2012-13 that went to appeal and did not have a judgement element. It was about inspector conduct, administration or information and was not upheld.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Lord Hill of Oareford, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.



Stage 1 Complaints


Academic year 2010-11


Academic year 2011-12







Sixth Form College


FE  College


Sixth Form College


 FE College




Total number of complaints received


0


7


2


9*




Number of complaints about inspection judgements


0


7


2


5




Number of complaints about inspection judgements upheld


-


0


0


3/5 not upheld 2/5 not yet concluded




Number of complaints about inspector conduct, administration, or information


0


0


0


4




Number of inspector conduct, administration, or information aspects upheld


-


-


-


0





Appeals (Stage 2 Complaints)


Academic year 2010-11


Academic year 2011-12







Sixth Form College


FE College


Sixth Form College


FE College




Total number of complaints received


0


1


0


1




Number of complaints about inspection judgements


0


1


0


0




Number of complaints about inspection judgements upheld


-


0


-


0




Number of complaints about inspector conduct, administration, or information


0


0


0


1




Number of inspector conduct, administration, or information aspects upheld


-


-


-


0


*A total of nine stage 1 complaints from FE colleges were received in the academic year 2011-12, Of these, five complaints involved challenges to judgements (gradings). Three of these complaints have been investigated with no complaint aspect upheld. Two investigations have not yet concluded. The remaining four complaints concerned issues about inspector conduct, administration or information aspects of the inspection. No aspect of these four complaints was upheld.

Schools: Academies

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the terms of reference of the Schools Commissioner for England in relation to the promotion of academies, and for her other work; and what proportion of her work consists of promoting academies. [HL1884]

Lord Hill of Oareford: The terms of reference for the schools commissioner defines Dr Sidwell’s role as to champion the growth of academies and raise the profile of free schools among school leaders, local authorities, parent groups and community organisations. Advocating academies, and the freedoms that becoming an academy brings, is an integral part of all of the schools commissioner’s work, and accordingly it is not possible to specify the proportion of Dr Sidwell’s work that involves promoting academies.

Schools: Creationism

Lord Krebs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they allow free schools to be established by groups that subscribe to the teaching of creationism. [HL1724]

Lord Hill of Oareford: Free schools are not permitted to teach creationism as a valid scientific theory in any subject and the Government would not approve any school that intended to do so. The model funding agreement for free schools requires that free schools shall not make provision in the context of any subject for the teaching, as an evidence-based view or theory, of any view or theory that is contrary to established scientific and/or historical evidence and explanations.

Schools: Creationism

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the teaching of creationism in school science lessons; and whether that policy applies to free schools. [HL1870]

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government have made it clear that creationism has no place in the science curriculum of any state-funded school. The model funding agreement prohibits free schools from teaching creationism as a valid scientific theory in any subject.

Schools: Creationism

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider it acceptable for free schools to teach creationism as an evidence-based theory in religious education. [HL2030]

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government do not consider it acceptable for free schools to teach creationism as an evidence-based theory in religious education or any other subject.

Schools: Creationism

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider it acceptable to refer to creationism as an evidence-based theory in school assemblies. [HL2032]

Lord Hill of Oareford: The teaching of creationism as a valid scientific theory, whether in an assembly or as part of the teaching of science or any other subject, has no place in any state-funded school. Free schools are specifically prohibited from teaching it through their funding agreements. Schools may, however, cover the biblical creation story; for example, as part of religious education.

Schools: Free Meals

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of pupils in the schools in each London borough and the City of London were in receipt of free school meals for each year from 1997 to the last year for which figures are available. [HL1604]

Lord Hill of Oareford: Information on the number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in each local authority in London from 2002 to 2012 has been placed in the House Libraries. Information is not available on the same basis prior to 2002. The latest information on free school meal eligibility was published on 21 June 2012 in the Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics: January 2012 Statistical First Release at http://www.education.gov.uk/rsqateway/DB/SFR/s001071 /index.shtml.

Schools: Free Schools

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which scientists they consult when deciding which free school proposals to approve. [HL2031]

Lord Hill of Oareford: All free school applications are subject to a rigorous assessment and a thorough interview process that draws on the advice of a range of education experts and advisers.

Schools: Funding

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the change in the allocation of capital funding for publicly funded schools between 2010-11 and 2011-12 across local authorities in (1) England, (2) the North West, and (3) Merseyside. [HL1833]

Lord Hill of Oareford: Capital allocations made to local authorities and schools in England, the north-west, and Merseyside, in 2010-11 and 2011-12, together with the change between these two years, are set out in the following table:



Capital allocations for schools 







2010-11 �m


2011-12 �m


Change from 2010-11 to 2011-12 �m 




England


6,145


4,860


-1,285




North West


983


644


-339




Merseyside


241


82


-159


The allocations shown cover all capital allocations to schools and local authorities and include supported borrowing allocations in 2010-11. The figures exclude investment through the private finance initiative.

Teachers: Overseas-trained

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government in which countries the overseas-trained teachers currently working in England and Wales first qualified; and in which types of schools they are working. [HL1835]

Lord Hill of Oareford: The department does not hold employment information for overseas-trained teachers currently working in England and Wales, or details of the countries in which they first qualified.